Passive-Aggressive Wi-Fi Names

We've posted about silly Wi-Fi names before on Neatorama (my favorite is "Get Off My LAN!" posted by Neatoramanaut Muzition), but the subject keeps on coming back probably because it's ultimately about human conflict.

Our tendency of avoiding confrontation with neighbors have led to some very passive aggressive Wi-Fi names, as this article by Tom Heyden of BBC News Magazine explains:

Most wireless networks now come with secure settings as default. But "Go Away Don't Steal My Broadband" and "Stop Mooching Our Internet" suggest that "stealing" of unsecured broadband still irritates some users. One invokes a kind of technological 11th commandment: "Covet not thy neighbour's wi-fi". Another merely opts for: "Thou shalt not steal!"

Network name complaints are the "digital equivalent" of the classic fridge note, says technology expert Tom Chatfield. But what purpose do they serve?

"My neighbours would have to do something really bad to go over and knock on their door," says James Robinson of OpenSignalMaps. Instead of awkward face-to-face confrontations, the network name jokers can anonymously send a message, and can target unknown perpetrators.

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